1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to a specimen removal device for use during a surgical procedure, and more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a specimen removal device including a pouch having a gas vent.
2. Description of Related Art
Laparoscopic and endoscopic surgical procedures are minimally invasive procedures in which operations are carried out within the body by using elongated instruments inserted through small entrance openings or incisions in body tissue. The initial opening in the body tissue to allow passage of the endoscopic or laparoscopic instruments to the interior portion of the body cavity may be a natural passageway of the body, or it can be created by a tissue-piercing instrument, for example, but not limited to a trocar. Because the endoscopic or laparoscopic cannulae, instrumentation, and any required punctures or incisions are relatively narrow, endoscopic or laparoscopic surgery is less invasive as compared to conventional surgical procedures in which the surgeon is required to cut open large areas of body tissue. Therefore, laparoscopic or endoscopic surgery minimizes trauma to the patient and reduces patient recovery time.
Minimally invasive procedures may be used for partial or total removal of a body specimen, e.g., body tissue or organs, from an interior portion of a body cavity, e.g. nephrectomy, cholecystectomy, and other such procedures. During such procedures, it is common that a cyst, tumor, tissue, foreign object or organ must be removed via the access opening in the skin, or through a cannula. Various types of collection devices, for example, pouches or sacs, have been disclosed to facilitate this procedure.
In certain situations, it is often difficult to remove a pouch or sac through a small laparoscopic incision and/or cannula when, in addition to the collected specimen, air is trapped therewithin. The trapped air increases the volume of the pouch, thus, making the pouch large and difficult to remove through a small opening, for example, a small incision and a cannula. During removal, the enlarged pouch sometimes tears or ruptures, which causes the collected specimen to spill inside the abdominal cavity. The spilled specimen may sometimes cause infection(s) or spreading of cancerous cells inside the abdominal cavity.